Five Top Makeup Tips For Older Women

When I have finished there are usually two comments. The first is "Wow, that's lovely because I still look quite natural" and the second is "It doesn't feel as if I have lots of makeup on!" I am always delighted by these reactions because I feel quite strongly that you should see the face (looking prettier, younger and loads better) and not the make-up and also because LFF products really are light and gorgeous in the way they feel on the skin.

My Five Tips For Great Looking Makeup When You're Older

1. Makeup will look much better on top of great skin.

Older skin often feels dry, patchy and has a 'grey' look about it. Sometimes the skin looks red, flushed and almost 'raw'. All these problems can be improved with skin care.  A daily routine of cleansing and 'feeding' with serums and moisturisers will all pay dividends. Exfoliating two or three times a week, maybe followed by a deep moisture mask will really help. Boots (or any good chemist) has a fantastic array of excellent products in all price ranges and they work! I have used Boots No.7 Protect and Perfect skin care for several years and it really does seem to be keeping the wrinkles at bay. The key thing is to make it a daily routine - it won't work if you 'blitz' your skin when you remember!

2. Make-up is essential (yes - of course I would say that!)

But it is true. Older faces lack colour and definition. With age comes the loss of something called 'luminance of contrast'. This means that everything fades - skin, eyebrows, eyes, cheeks and lips all become paler as we age.  Many women restore colour to their hair, not realising that without counterbalancing that with good makeup, they will actually look older with a helmet of dark hair above a pale, washed out face. Look at our gallery photos - what a transformation the makeup creates to those pale 'before' faces!

3. Blush, blush and more blush.

I promise you that the right blush instantly lights up your whole face. Those Jane Austen heroines were onto something when they pinched their cheeks when Mr Darcy hoved into view!! Without a blusher you will look more tired and less healthy. Our Real Radiance Blush is neither a cream, which is difficult to apply, and it's not a powder, which is too heavy for dry or wrinkled skin. It goes on as a cream and then you can smooth it with a brush as if it was a powder. It's easy to use and place (see our video for the 'how to') and looks fresh and pretty and stays put.

4. Brows frame not only your eyes but your whole face by adding proportion and symmetry.

Beautifully shaped eyebrows are another instant lift. My eyebrows have gone slightly mad as I have aged (I'm 67). They are wiry, grow in different directions and some have become overlong and grey. I use a magnifying mirror and tweezers to tame them, ruthlessly plucking out the offending hairs. I then use our Eyebrow Brush 6 to groom them so that I can apply the Bring Back Brow Shape. Using light feathery strokes it now takes me about 30 seconds to create realistic looking and perfect arches of subtle colour. I have made a video showing myself doing this as part of my eye make-up routine.

5. Don't be afraid of wearing a vibrant lip colour! 

To stop any feathering or bleeding of the colour around your mouth use a primer to seal the edges. Then choose a colour which compliments your skin tone - cool or warm. I wear lipsticks with a 'blue' undertone as anything with an orange or yellow undertone makes me look ill!  Lipstick doesn't have to be dark but it will need enough pigment to make a difference and also stay put for longer. I love it when I apply the Lustrous Colour Lipstick at the end of the makeover because I know that it will instantly create the most wonderful finished effect. Truly magic.

Since I launched Look Fabulous Forever I have had lots of brilliant feedback in the form of reviews and testimonials. Here are a few of my favourites.

“I saw the interview on BBC Breakfast and decided to give the eye makeup a try, I was extremely doubtful about it as there are so many claims about products being perfect for older women, but I have now used it several times and am a complete convert the moss and forest lid colours are perfect as I have green eyes and they are really good quality and easy to use, my daughter in law is a qualified beauty therapist and she was so impressed she will be telling all her older clients!”

- Jan

“I have just used the 3 products I ordered from you and I'm surprised & delighted with the results. As a non makeup user who has been wondering if anything can possibly help my ageing appearance, your helpful videos and products have convinced me that it is possible to look better.Without the videos I wouldn't have had a clue - so good to watch the demonstrations and follow your guidance. Thank you for giving me the confidence to try something new.”

- Lynn

“Today I received my first order of products. I am a picky and savvy shopper but have to say that these cosmetics were just fabulous. The packaging was good to handle, the products were lovely to use and were  just as described - the quality was exceptional...way beyond what I wanted never mind hoped for. Really good products and fantastic service. I will be back!”

- Morven

If you would like to see a 10 minute video of me showing these tips on myself click here.